maybe by connection?
Posted on 11/02/2006 2:45:28 PM PST by dogbyte12
The leader of one of Colorado's most popular mega-churches, Ted Haggard, is temporarily stepping down from his leadership role, after allegations from a male prostitute that Haggard solicited gay sex.
Haggard, the founder and senior leader of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs and president of the multimillion- member National Association of Evangelicals, denied the accusations raised by the prostitute on Wednesday.
Today, a press conference by church leaders to support Haggard was cancelled shortly before it was scheduled to take place.
In stepping down, it was emphasized that Haggard did not admit any wrongdoing, but that he felt his effectiveness would be hampered by the cloud of inquiry.
Male escort Mike Jones of Denver told 9News he'd had a three-year sexual business relationship with Haggard.
Jones went public about their alleged relationship Wednesday morning on talk radio.
"People may look at me and think what I've done is immoral, but I think I had to do the moral thing in my mind and that is expose someone who is preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind everybody's back," Jones told 9News.
The station spoke to Haggard outside his home in Colorado Springs, and he fervently denied the allegations. Haggard is married and has five children.
"I've never had a gay relationship with anybody. ... I am steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife. I don't know if this is election-year politics or if this has to do with the marriage amendment or what it is," Haggard said.
The Denver Post could not reach Haggard for comment.
Haggard has been one of the major proponents for a state constitutional ban on gay marriage.
False analogy.
1. No one believes in Martians, people do know of sexual sin and do know hyprocrisy (this is the heart of the charge against him, hyprocrisy).
2. The name calling of 'Martian'does not influence an election outcome. The man and his lively hood have been smeared, not name called, but smeared. His family has been attacked. Now, it could be that Pastor Ted is a sinner in this way. I personally do not believe, but it is a possiblity. Why is it a possiblity, because Pastor Ted is a sinner, I've heard him declare it just about every Sunday.
Here is the other thing I believe. Mr. Jones is also a sinner. He has a clear motive in what he is doing. I do not put it past Mr. Jones to lie about what he claims, and until I hear real proof, it is an accusation and only an accusation.
Why did he resign?
In our church, when a serious allegation is made, to protect all parties including the church, that person must step down from their position until the matter is resolved one way or another. Let me say the Church is greater than any one person except Jesus Christ.
Regards,
Fatez
Opps,
Forgot spell check, not only am I a sinner, but a horrible speller :)
Hypocrisy
Not to sound like a homer, but I just watched the interview. He looks into the interviewer's eyes the whole times. He never dodged any questions. He said flat out, he has been faithful to his wife, not a Monica answer.
Why did he answer with out fire? Because that is the world's way.
Romans 8:31 - 37
That is true. And then he should step down. No more leadership. Take up a broom or hammer and show that he understands that he has forfeited any prestigious position.
Of course, this all hinges on whether the accusations are true or a slander.
"Not to sound like a homer, but I just watched the interview. He looks into the interviewer's eyes the whole times. He never dodged any questions. He said flat out, he has been faithful to his wife, not a Monica answer.
Why did he answer with out fire? Because that is the world's way."
Of course, when directly confronted he denied the accusations, but in my opinion he did so unconvincingly, like someone who is trying to show grief that he doesn't feel. An innocent man will evince a natural reaction of indignation at such an outrageous accusation (one can hardly imagine a more serious accusation to make of a man of the cloth). We have no control over such indignation - like genuine grief. It just flows out of us (again, this is not a matter of Christian humility).
By Haggard's own admission, he had just learned of the accusations a few hours earlier. Do you mean to say that his laid back demeanor is evidence of innocence? One would rather have expected him to take the bull by the horns, to speak forcefully with direct eye contact to the interviewer and to the camera, stating again and again in the most unequivocal terms that he had absolutely nothing to do with this man. And return to that most critical truth again and again during the interview, because that is the heart of the matter, isn't it?
Instead, I do not believe that he even once during the fairly long interview broached the sex question on his own initiative. On each occasion the interviewer had to draw him back to that central question from his ramblings about how the church investigation is conducted.
Instead, Haggard seemed willing to go on and on about everything BUT the key question at hand. And watch his face carefully: he avoids eye contact with the interviewer when asked about the sex, especially when the she returns to it again later in the interview (he keeps glancing down). The long, rambling interview is actually quite revealing, as Haggard clearly shows that he is quite content to avoid focusing on the 64,000 question.
And then there is the significant matter of his abruptly resigning the presidency of the NAE, apparently within hours of the disclosure of the accusations. Sorry, but this does not strike me as the response of a totally innocent man.
Again, I hope I am mistaken and that he is innocent, but these are my impressions after a lifetime of observing people and judging their character, for what it may be worth.
Exactly. A righteous man defends himself as he knows that to do otherwise can cause others to stumble.
maybe by connection?
A leader in the body of Christ has responsibilities well beyond his own family. One of those responsibilities is to have a respectable family life.
Well, I John makes a distinction between a sin "unto death" (mortal) and a sin "not unto death". Using the word venial to mean "not unto death" is simply a one word synonym.
It's a Biblical notion!
Something stinks here.
Why? Do you know him?
I disagree. I think if he wants to protect his church, the best thing he can do is step away while he is being investigated.
He may be guilty, but I've seen a lot of "I did not have sex with..." press conferences and fights that ended up being true in the end.
If he is not guilty, but willing to remove himself from the church until cleared, I will respect him a great deal.
That kind of sounds suspicious to me. But we will know when we know.
I've thought about it and you're right. That's far more important than banning gay marrage in CO.
What's a few thousand gay marrages compared to a families feelings.
We now have exhibit number 2 in about as many weeks of why allowing gays in the military is a terrible idea.
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